Session leader: Laura Grieneisen
Access to fresh foods, and especially fruits, vegetables, and other products high in fiber, is well demonstrated to be affected by social inequity. The lack of fiber and nutritious food can dramatically hamper a functional gut microbiome. With the effects of COVID-19 being felt, the loss of income/loss of SNAP benefits and disruption to our food and transport systems will make it more difficult for many individuals to obtain a nutritious diet and reap the benefit of a healthy gut microbiome. This effect will be disproportionately felt by lower-income individuals. This session explores the effects of diet on the gut microbiome and health, food insecurity, policy to support food access, and how to use existing resources to create community-based food systems.
Session Speakers:
Abigail Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota, and Associate Director, Nutrition Coordinating Center“University of Maine Cooperative Extension Programs, Resources and Research Relevant to Food Insecurity”
Frank Wertheim, Ph.D., Associate Extension Professor, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Sabrina Young, Ph.D., Research Agricultural Economist in the Diet, Safety, and Health Economics Branch in the Food Economics Division of the USDA. Presenting on current federal government policy support for food access, generalized advice about policy
Prior to this session, you may want to watch these recorded talks:
- “Teaching with microbes: Biopolitical lessons from fermentation.”, Dr. Megan Carney, PhD. March 17, 2021.
- “The Global Microbiome: microbes and public health beyond biology”, Dr. Amber Benezra, PhD. March 10, 2021.
- “Investigating social determinates of health and social equity among Veterans; a United States-Veteran Microbiome Project”, LTC. Andrew J. Hoisington, Ph.D. April 14, 2021.
